The format of a My Take is 150 words – no more, no less – to express an opinion on a different topic each week. This week’s topic was the Royal visit.
An ever-declining number of Canadians have interest in the monarchy, and three days is all Prince Charles and Camilla have to convince Canadians otherwise. Yet, the timing and length of the royal visit raises questions.
Last May, the horrible discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops began an awakening for some Canadians about residential schools. Prince Charles’ visit comes at a strained time, almost a year after the discovery, yet the monarchy has not issued a formal apology for its role in Canada’s residential school system. Despite the lacking apology, one focus of the visit is Indigenous reconciliation. While I applaud Prince Charles and Camilla for acknowledging these issues, a three-day visit will not be enough to listen, understand, and enact change. Choosing late May to make a brief trip, especially without a formal apology, comes off as insensitive and unbeneficial to Prince Charles’ popularity.
